Monday, September 29, 2008

SpaceX: Private Rocket Makes it to Space

SpaceX has made history. Its privately developed rocket has made it into space.After three failed launches, the company founded by Elon Musk worked all of the bugs out of their Falcon 1 launch vehicles.The entire spectacle was broadcast live from Kwajalein Atoll in the South Pacific. Cameras mounted on the spacecraft showed our planet shrinking in the distance and the empty first stage engine falling back to Earth.Eight minutes after leaving the ground, Falcon 1 reached a speed of 5200 meters per second and passed above the International Space Station.